Cabin Fever To Love Lavi
by LylicaGalatea
Summary: Kanda's injured and stranded to bed feeling useless as his friends fight Akumas. Lavi visits him night-time exploiting his weakened state to tease him without fearing his wrath. However, in the moonlit cabin, their friendship starts to complicate.
1. Chapter 1

Hello my readers :)

It's been a long time since I've published anything. You are probably waiting for the new chapter of Bitter Sweet Tooth so if you are asking yourself why I'm starting a new story since that one is waiting... don't worry! I haven't forgotten that one, I'm working on it, but in the meanwhile, enjoy this one.

Cute to the point of being sweet, funny as only a Kanda-Lavi combination can be and the promise of my usual M-rated scenes ;)

* * *

**Cabin Fever - To Love Lavi**

Kanda is laying on one of the cabin's beds, the very uncomfortable spring mattress making the muscles of his back sore and his sleep ever more difficult to enjoy. He growls surrendering to the pain and opens his eyes to stare into the semi darkness of the room.

The silence is comforting and his eyes used to darkness glide on the scarce furniture of the room, again. The bed is small and cast in a corner in front of the door and on the same wall as the door is a wooden wardrobe that Kanda hasn't even touched, scared that it would fall apart with a breath. Next to the bed, and opposite to the wardrobe is a table, wooden as the wardrobe but clearly not matched in style or even age. The table sits in front of the window and is accompanied by a creaky chair, on which Kanda sees his folded coat and shirt.

The room is not decorated and it is barely observable in the faint moonlight peeking in between the wooden shutters. Kanda sighs, the tour of the room occupied his mind for too little time and his thoughts begin tumbling down again, annoying him with unnecessary fears.

"_I'm not healing. Well, not as fast as I'm used to. This damn slice would still kill me if I stood up."_

He rests his hand lightly on his belly, where blood stained bandages wrap a bad and deep slice a Level Two has caused him yesterday.

He is impatient, his comrades went out fighting earlier this morning while he had to lay in that filthy bed waiting and fidgeting, listening to faint explosions and distant crashes proving that the near-by town was still filled with Akuma and that his friends were at least still alive and fighting.

He had expected to be fine by evening but when he had tried to stand up his wound opened making him faint and he would have died of blood loss on the floor, had not Lavi walked in on him and patched him up while constantly blabbering about not being able to fight if he can't trust him to stay put in bed.

He is so annoyed by this whole situation, he is a damn Exorcist, he was born to fight, not to waste time on a bed and be protected… _he_ is the protector!

He doesn't want to think about the possibility that his healing capacity wouldn't go back to normal (and by normal he of course means godly fast) and that this would make him more of a human being that he ever wants to be. How could he fight those Akumas and those Noahs if he isn't able to heal from otherwise deathly injuries? Not that he is scared of dying, he just doesn't want to die at the hands of a demon and not be able to kill _that_ bastard.

This train of thoughts makes him loose his patience and he punches the wall in frustration, wincing at the sudden pain under the bandages. He growls trying to keep an aggravated scream from waking everybody but doesn't consider the simple fact that Lavi's bed is pushed against the other side of the wall, and that his wild punch had the red head on his feet eyes wide and panting in an instant.

"_What the hell? What was that?"_

Lavi scans the room for anything out of place, his ears aching for the effort of catching any unusual sound. The cabin is surrounded by a thick forest and the only sound is the gentle wind grazing the rooftop, so he can clearly hear Kanda's growl and curse coming from beyond the wall.

He relaxes and decides to check on his friend, so he walks to Kanda's room bare foot, and bare chest also, his hair loose and only his eye patch and trousers on. He lightly knocks on his friend's door and hears another punch on the wall, understanding now what had woken him up. Another curse and he snickers; Kanda doesn't really understand what _severed muscles_ mean. He knocks again, and he takes the low grunt he receives in response as a cheerful "com in!" so he cracks the door enough open to whisper: "Yuu? Can I come in?"

Silence, and then a defeated groan. Oh yes, Kanda knows him enough to know that not even a death threat would keep Lavi out of the room now that he wants to go in, so he saves himself the hassle of trying.

And of course Lavi interprets the groan as a happy invitation, so he enters the room with a broad grin and a stupid tiptoeing walk, trying to keep the noise as down as possible.

Kanda doesn't move much, he just turns his face to look at Lavi and then rolls his eyes at the guy's silly walk. He would punch himself for having woken the annoying brat up but he has _sort of_ understood now that punching is not good for his injury so he restrains himself from doing so, and instead tries to kick Lavi to vent his frustration on him.

"GAAH!" _"Kicks not good either, kicks not good either, holy shit it hurts!"_

Lavi is kind of taken aback by what he sees, Kanda has tried to kick him (how rude) but didn't even stretch his leg out of the bed before screaming because his abs are still injured and raising his leg is a very, _very_ painful thing to try.

"Serves you right Yuu-chan." He snickers watching the boy contort on his bed and then glare at him furiously trying to stop panting.

He debates whether to move Kanda's clothes to the table and then sit on the chair, but he is just enjoying this thing too much not to take advantage of Kanda's weakened state, so he sits on the bed next to Kanda's hips, wriggling to move the boy and make some space for himself.

"Scoot to the left a bit Yuu-chan, there's no room for me!"

"Because you're not supposed to sit here! Get away from my bed!"

And he tries to push Lavi away, failing miserably because as soon as he tries to gather some strength in his arms and belly to push him he suddenly sees bright white spots in his eyes from pain. He sighs a very aggravated groan and then just resorts to scratch his nails on Lavi's bare back trying to go as deep as his short nails can go. Which is not much.

Lavi is enjoying this helpless Kanda far too much and he teases him more:

"Mmmm Yuu-chan like this, yes, scratch your nails on my back. Oh yes, keep doing it!"

And he moans a very lusty sound that makes Kanda blush fiercely and gape in surprise. God Lavi would _pay_ for this to happen in daylight and be able to see Kanda's flushed cheeks better!

But this is too much teasing for Kanda and he slips his hand up Lavi's back and neck grabbing his hair and pulling painfully until the boy is arching over him and hitting the back of his head on the wall.

This movement costs Kanda as well so as Lavi whines a pained sound Kanda grits his teeth and snorts, feeling the skin pull at the injury.

"My… Yuu-chan… you're so mean to me."

A pouting Lavi is _not_ the reaction Kanda had hoped for, so he rolls his eyes again, cursing how hopeless the guy is. And as his eyes are not focused on Lavi they can't see the redhead sudden movement as he swiftly turns to him, propped up with his hands on each side of his head as he pushes a quick kiss on his lips. Before Kanda can even react (and he would have reacted very violently) Lavi is on his feet again, grinning madly for the effort of not bursting into a loud laugh.

"You! You…! Gaah!"

"Ooh Yuu-chan? You don't know what to say? It's ok, I liked it too, no need to thank me."

And as if possible Kanda's eyes grow even wider, and his jaw drops down so much Lavi can see his teeth and tongue inside. He tries to sit up but his face flinches with sudden pain and he flops angrily on the pillow again, one hand on his bandages and a frustrated sob escaping his throat.

Lavi keeps laughing for a moment, but the image of Kanda in such helpless state soon makes his laugh wither into a soft chuckle, and then his grin fade into a worried look. He feels a complete jerk and clears his throat, knowing he would have to apologise and actually _help_ Kanda.

* * *

**Is it good to have me back? Show me love in your reviews ^_^**

Next chap - Is one bed big enough for two?


	2. Chapter 2

I enjoyed writing their dialog, pretty hard, but fun :D

**Enjoy!  
**

* * *

A whisper.

"I'm sorry."

Kanda blinks, eyes fixed on the ceiling. _"Did Lavi just apologise?"_

"A-hem. I'm sorry." A bit louder now, to be sure Kanda heard.

Kanda turns his face to look at Lavi standing in the middle of his room with his head lowered and his eye trying to peek at him from under his brow.

"I heard you the first time."

Lavi's head shoots up with an outraged pout drawing his lower lip first open, then closed and sticking out.

"You meany, why did you make me apologise twice?!"

"I didn't _make_ you!"

"Well you didn't say anything! I thought you hadn't heard!"

"Tch." And Kanda goes back to staring at the ceiling.

"And here I thought I was the mean one… tch." Lavi talks to himself, but loud enough so that Kanda hears it, and of course the Japanese snaps at it.  
"Oh no, don't you _tch_ _me_!"

"Well it's not like you invented it, so sue me."

"Is that how you usually apologise to people?! Get outta here then."

Lavi virtually smacks himself. _"Good job of making up with him."_

"No Yuu-chan, I'm sorry, I truly am. I'd like to help you."

"Well, there is something you could do to make me feel better."

Lavi brightens up immediately: "Yeah, everything you want, I can bring you food, change your bandages, give you a foot massage, I could even kiss you again! Anything for you Yuu-chan, anything!"

"Stop calling me Yuu-chan."

"Yeah, ok sorry. So, what is it I can do for you?" Eager Lavi hasn't really caught up on Kanda's request, and Kanda almost snaps at his stupid friend.

"I said: stop calling me Yuu-chan. _This_ will make me feel better."

"Oh…" Lavi is sincerely saddened by this. He truly was ready to help Kanda feel better, and the boy just wanted him gone and far. He looses his cheerful mask, his lonely heart showing through his act and very softly speaks:

"Ok… Kanda… if this is what you want. I'm going back to my room."

This reaction is so not Lavi-like that it hurts Kanda and even if he should feel happiness overwhelm him since it is the first time he actually got Lavi to drop the nickname and leave him alone, he instead feels something he hates, guilt, and as Lavi opens the door to leave, his shoulders hunched over, he snaps:

"Oh fine. Stay here with me for a while, just don't be too much of an asshole."  
And while Lavi turns around, eyes wide as teacups and the widest grin he can manage spread across his face he adds, trying to regain some of his scary attitude:

"I'm warning you, if you make me angry I will make you pay for it as soon as I can stand up."

But the threat just washes over Lavi, just like a mother's warning would not impress a boy that is finally getting to go play football, and his happiness makes him almost shine as he hurries back inside and nods frantically: "Yes of course, Yuu-chan. I'll be careful!"

The fact that he has started again to call him by that much hated nickname proves to Kanda that he has just given up on the only victory he would ever manage against Lavi and he sighs, almost paternally.

But Lavi surprises him once more taking the nickname back and apologising:

"Sorry Kanda, no more Yuu-chan… for a while at least."

And as he sits on the floor resting his back against Kanda's bed a timid smile stretches Lavi's lips, a true, sincere, timid smile. A smile that slightly upsets Kanda, like something very important just happened and that it was not just about keeping him company. He feels he has inadvertently touched something very deep in Lavi with a small sentence, and it feels so awkward to have such a serious looking Lavi casting a warm smile at him that he almost wishes for the stupid Lavi to surface back:

"Don't make a big deal out of this. I just can't sleep on this fucking mattress."

And at this Lavi indeed snaps back to his cheerful self, the instantaneous effort to switch personality not missed by Kanda's perceptive eyes.

"Oh come on Kanda don't lie to yourself, everyone needs warmth and cuddles during a hard mission! It's called a stress reliever!"

"Don't you try anything like that on me horny rabbit! I don't need any stress reliever!"

"Oh and here I thought I could snuggle up with you in your bed tonight…"

"All right, I take it back, go back to your room and don't come in here ever again."

Lavi laughs, wholeheartedly. It always feel good to be with Kanda, somehow his threats and rude behaviour don't intimidate him. It's like they aren't for real, just a game, just an act Kanda plays. Well, some threats _are_ quite scary, especially the ones supported by Mugen… but all in all it feels like they are acting out on fixed roles, as if Kanda's behaviour too was just a mask he needs to wear. It's like they both know that they are just acting according to the character of their role, but what's behind the mask, the actor, is different.

Well, yeah, what is it that bonds them behind the mask?

Friendship, for sure. They couldn't be around each other at all if they didn't know that behind their fake acts was a totally different person. One they can stand, one they would call friend.

Trust, too. Hell, he acts as a stupid clown most of the time, but even Kanda knows he can rely on him when the time comes, and he knows that even if Kanda doesn't give a crap about him normally, he would let an Akuma chop him up just to save him.

Affection. Although he is sure this is one thing that Kanda would _never_ admit. But they've been fighting so long together and gone through both hard and happy times that Lavi is sure this feeling _has_ surfaced in Kanda's heart.

Woah, Kanda's _heart_. That's a thought that makes him laugh. All Kanda's act is based on the fact that he is an heartless bastard and instead there he was, feeling guilty for having treated Lavi with coldness.

So he chuckles, head comfortably laying on Kanda's mattress and Kanda, who has been thinking about how Lavi can make him go from the verge of homicidal frenzy to care about him, tilts his head and asks, not as rudely as he would have done earlier on:

"What's so funny rabbit head?"

"Nothing Kanda, it just feels good to share a room."

"Mmm…"

"_Woah, Kanda has just admitted he likes having me here? Holy crap!"_ And he tries to shred the awkward silence that Kanda's admission has caused: "Ehy, why can you call me names and I can't call you Yuu-chan?"

"Because you don't hate it."

"Oh so you would stop if I told you I hate being called rabbit head?"

Silence.

"You would?!" More of an astounded statement than a question.

"Of course not, _rabbit head_!"

"_He hesitated… God, would he really stop if I hated it? Ooh I really want to hug him now! He's just too cute to act cold!"_

"Say, why do I have to sit on the floor again?"

"Because this is _my_ bed and I don't want you here. Besides, I'm injured and you thrash about too much when you sleep."

"Oh."

A pout.

A sudden grin.

"Then I won't sleep!"

And he jerks himself up, crawling into Kanda's bed, against all of the boy's cries and growls.

Kanda isn't really fighting that much, he could bite and pinch and head blow at Lavi but instead he just tries not to be squished by scooting left a bit and grumbling softly. He's far too consenting and Lavi smiles snuggling up to him, resting his head on the boy's shoulder. A thousand Bookman questions come up to his mind but get quite easily pushed aside not to taint this moment.

Kanda too is quite surprised and can't really understand why he is giving in so easily to Lavi, blaming it on none other than God himself, for making him so weakened he can't even put up a decent fight for his own body.

* * *

**comments? :)**

I love it when you talk with a friend like they do here, intimate, trustfull, quite in semi-darkness... close, close, souls touching :)


	3. Chapter 3

It's been ages since I uploaded anything. I really want to write new chapters but I need some (more) time to get back in track with my thoughts and ideas. I've had some tough months, I'm not out of the "lows" right now but writing has always made me feel good and I'm sure I'll be soon feel better. As I said in my brief entry on my profile page I'm now writing the 16th chapter of Bitter Sweet Tooth, but it's going to take a bit before I get around to finish it. So in the meanwhile here's the third chapter of this Kanda/Lavi :)

I think this story has some potential, although now that I've read it again I found some mistakes and some things I'll need to explain to make them work, oh whatever :)

Also, since today is the 1st January 2010 here, happy new year to all of you who follow this calendar and a whish for me that I may keep posting chaps frequently this year. Oh, of course, good chapters that will make you want to review :D

**Enjoy!** (previously: Kanda is injured and has to stay in bed. Lavi climbed into Kanda's bed against his will)

* * *

"Why are you doing this? No wait I don't want to know." Kanda is resigned to having to share his bed with Lavi but still he doesn't really get _why_.

"Oh come on Kanda it feels good to be cuddling. It's been such a horrible mission so far with you being injured and all these Akuma reappearing in the morning in even bigger numbers. I'm exhausted."  
"Well go and sleep in your bed if you're exhausted!"

"No Kanda that's not what I mean. This place sucks, we are stranded in this rotting cabin with canned food and no chance of talking to anyone at the Order until we don't get to go away from here. I'm stressed, I want some love."

"Say anything about that stress reliever thing again and I swear to God I'll throw you out of the window."

Lavi chuckles, he can actually picture Kanda do it out of sheer will and then collapse on the floor bleeding and still not fucking care about his injury.

"What? You find it funny?"

"No, I find _you_ funny."

"Lavi don't push it."

"Push what?" And he strokes Kanda's leg with his thigh, a malicious smile coupling the teasing tone. Kanda, of course, blushes hard and gasps for air.

"Your luck, idiot! Stop doing this!"

"Oh, you'd rather have me do _this_?" And he tilts his chin upwards, breathing the last word in Kanda's ear.

Kanda's body shivers, then he hisses straight into Lavi's face, baring his teeth.

"Yuu-chan, you're even showing me your teeth… you look as dangerous as an harmless kitty, and just as lovable." And he really pushes his luck, gently stroking Kanda's inner thigh up to his groin. He's having so much fun in teasing the boy, he's got the upper hand, being older and, he's sure, with more experience than Kanda. Oh he's going to have fun.

He's surprised then to find his hand against something hard, and before his mind registers it is indeed Kanda's throbbing organ, his world closes on Kanda's face, his nose brushing the Japanese's cheek.

Kanda kisses him harshly, one hand reaching behind his neck to pull him in a lip-crushing kiss. He feels Kanda press against him for entrance and he grants it without blinking, roaring heartbeat quickly deafening him.

Kanda's wild, his tongue moving inside Lavi's mouth as if it were his property, brushing, teasing, rubbing the boy's tongue and palate. He moves back just enough to suck on Lavi's lower lip and then he's back in twisting his tongue around Lavi's.

And when Lavi starts melting in Kanda's kiss, a moan escaping his throat and his tongue timidly returning the strokes, Kanda breaks the kiss and moves back, leaving him to blink the sudden loss away. He's dumbfounded and he looks into Kanda's eyes with his one as wide as the moon itself, only to find the Japanese smirking devilishly and snorting a very low growl.

"Don't you _ever_ call me kitty again."

Lavi stutters some incoherent sounds before his mind kicks back in and he finds it full of so many things to say that he doesn't say anything, too confused to put order in his head.

After what seems to be like an eternity he manages to murmur: "O-ok you're good at it, fine, I get it. No fun in teasing you if you are not shy."

And Kanda laughs, he is not going to blush and shy away if the boy challenges him on his experience.

But it doesn't take long for Lavi to find the thing extremely amusing and Kanda understands he's made a big mistake by shutting Lavi's teasing with a wild kiss, the boy will never let it go.

"Yeah Yuu-chan, you're pretty damn good! A bit too harsh on the lips maybe, but wow, that was arousing!"

Oh yes, Kanda is regretting having reacted to Lavi teasing him.

"Actually I think it had the same… _effect_… on you too." And he slowly slides the tip of his fingers down Kanda's side, tracing his abdomen as to reach his groin.

He doesn't know what he's doing, he doesn't even know what he'd do if Kanda were not to reject his touch.

"_What? What would I do if Kanda doesn't reject me? What do I do if Kanda lets me touch him?"_

These thoughts are fast, so fast his fingers have just traced a mere inch on Kanda's hip. He feels Kanda tensing but he doesn't understand if it is because he would stop him or just because he anticipates the touch.

"_Hell no, Kanda kissed me only to teach me a lesson about how good he actually is, just that. Right?"_

He can't believe he's freaking out over the kiss. He can't believe he wouldn't actually keep teasing Kanda about it. He suddenly feels all of the contact between his body and Kanda's and it is far too much to bare, he feels his heart rushing blood to his face and before he can visibly pant he sits up, trying to mask his growing discomfort. But is it discomfort? Or actually the opposite?

"_God I was just playing, just teasing him and look at me now all flustered by the contact of his body and aroused by his kiss. Wait, what? Aroused? I'm really fucking aroused? Don't fucking kid me, I was just joking about it!"_

Now Lavi is glad it is dark in the room, because he is sure his cheeks are tomato red. He stutters something he hopes to be a coherent excuse and stands up, leaving a slightly puzzled Kanda behind.

* * *

**don't you want more?**


	4. Chapter 4

**13th July 2010 - vote in the poll! I'd really like to know your opinion on dgm's last chaps!**

* * *

Lavi is sitting on top of the cabin's roof. It's dawn and the sun rising above the mountains behind his back sends its rays inside the narrow valley, illuminating the top of the hills in front of him and revealing the dark green forest covering everything like a thick carpet. It is a marvellous sight, with only the top of the highest hills lit up in dazzling gold and the rest of the hills, from the steep forested sides down to the deep river bed, still sunk in the dark of the night and enclosed in the morning mist, humid and thick. The mist rolls down the hills as they get slowly bathed in sunlight, fat puffs tumbling over the treetops to reach the bottom of the valley leaving the thin traces of smoky mist, trails of their passage, to evaporate when the golden rays reach down. As the sun shines on the forest and warms the air up the sounds of life grow louder and the animals wake up and start their daily routines. The valley slowly comes back to life but it is a faded sound, as if most of the animals aren't there anymore. The cabin sits almost on top of one of the high hills and Lavi can grasp the whole valley with one look. It will take some more hours for the sun to reach the bottom of the valley and shimmer on the river rapids and on the red roofs of the town, and on its ruins. It feels like sitting above clouds.

Lavi sighs.

It's been weeks since their arrival in the valley: Kanda, Chaoji and Marie had been sent by their general as a trial mission for Chaoji. It was supposed to be an easy mission in a small town with some Akumas, but something went wrong as soon as they stepped in town. Marie's ears were constantly hearing a low murmur, like people praying underground, a sound that made it difficult for him to grasp the tiniest noises as he was used to and Kanda… Kanda didn't heal as fast as he did before. Moreover, there was no end to Akumas. They killed dozens a day but there were others ready to fight the morning after, far more than the tiny population of the town would allow. Before fleeing the town Kanda had called for help and the order had sent Lenalee and Lavi to help and record whatever cause they would find.

Since they didn't have telephones in the cabin, the day Kanda was badly injured Lenalee went back to tell his brother what was happening and bring Bookman back…

_But she hasn't come back yet._

Lavi is worried. He thinks about the weird things happening and he has the feeling that something is terribly askew. When his mind travels to Kanda's injury, however, he can't help but think about what has happened during the night and he shakes his head, trying to clear his mind. He has been feeling confused and, frankly, even his body isn't working properly in the toilet, but he dismisses the fact thinking about the disgusting canned food they have been eating.

He shivers as he finally shakes the night cold away from his bones and he stretches in the sunlight like a cat. He lays on the rooftop and thinks that he will have to face Kanda very soon.

_What should I say? I got hard for his kiss. It's not like I'm made of stone! There's nothing weird in reacting that way.  
_

He knows it is not that easy to dismiss kissing his best friend and getting hard for it, but he feels confused and embarassed about it. He also feels guilty for becoming even closer to Kanda, something Bookman has warned him of too often lately.

_If Bookman finds out, I'm screwed._

He shouldn't be hurt when Kanda pushes him away. He shouldn't want to share a room and spend some private time with him. Sure as hell he shoudln't feel his heartbeat pick up speed when thinking of a mere kiss.

_It's this damn valley, this damn cabin… Arg! Get a grip Alias 49! You've got more urgent things to think about than a hard on!  
_

He decides he will not talk to Kanda about it, at least not until things in the valley aren't settled. It's not like Kanda will want to talk about it either. Anyway, he needs to solve whatever problem has the valley, and moreover he doesn't need a bookman training to understand that something very weird and very interesting is going on. If there is something interfering with Kanda's and Marie's abilities, he certainly wants to understand what it is. So he stands up, grabs his hammer and extends it 'till it reaches the ground, one floor down. He jumps on it and lightly slides down, hopping off as it shortens back enough to fit in his pocket. Then, he enters the cabin from the front door, to find Marie and Chaoji sitting at the table and eating… canned food.

Lavi groans but there is no choice. They went hunting several times but the forest looks empty. It's true that they have been fighting a lot in the area and animals might have fled it, but the whole valley is empty, a part from birds and travelling animals. While Lavi eats his breakfast, and Chaoji brings Kanda his meal, Marie sits besides Lavi:

"There's something I've noticed."

"Mmm-mmm?"

"The noise I hear is louder down in the valley, while I'm here it is distant."

Lavi gulps his mouthful down before answering:

"Do you think this means something?"

"I'm not sure yet. But I can also hear more animals around here than down inside the valley. Maybe the two things are connected?"

"Well, when it comes to innocence, you never know."

Lavi and Marie keep eating in silence for a while, thinking. Some faint noises come from upstairs but they figure Kanda is being the usual jerk and throwing food at Chaoji. Then, Marie speaks again.

"Do you remember what happened two days ago?"

"Mmm?"

"The time I almost fainted because the noise was so loud?"

"Oh yeah! Are you ok? Did you experience it again?"

"Oh no, I'm ok, that's not it. What I wanted to say is that there's an area down in the valley where the noise is almost deafening. We got closer to it while chasing Akumas. They seemed to move towards it."

"Yeah, I remember. But we had to retreat because you couldn't get closer."

"Exactly. I can't go there but I can point it to you from here. If I activate my Innocence I can hear the murmur coming from behind a small hill on the left, up-river from the town."

"You're great Marie-chan! We'll go check it out! Maybe there's one key to these mysteries!"

Lavi feels a bit releaved. It's refreshing to have a clue of what to do next.

"I'm afraid I cannot come with you. I can help you from a distance but coming closer is impossible. I would have to deactivate my innocence, but then I would be useless!"

"Yeah, I get it. It would just be me... and Chaoji…"

"And me, baka usagi."

"Kanda!"

Kanda's footsteps on the wooden stairs are heavy and his voice is hard and sharp as usual, but his face is contracted like he is in pain and his stiff back is a signal that he isn't completely cured.

"What did you do, Chaoji? You shouldn't have let him out of bed!"

"I… I tried, Lavi-san, but Kanda-san… Kanda-san is scary!"

Chaoji's eyes are threating to burst in tears and Lavi can only imagine what kind of threats Kanda has spat out to Chaoji to make him shut up. Marie, with his calm tone, speaks up.

"Kanda, I can hear your step is shorter than usual. You are still recovering."

"I'm fine, Marie. I've been laying in that damned bed for days now. The fresh air of this damn cabin has helped me heal. And I heard you from upstairs, if you cannot go with these two idiots they will surely die."

"Hey, thanks Yuu-chan."

Lavi doesn't like it, but it's kinda true. He sighs. They need to find a solution to this that doesn't mean having Marie faint from the noise in the middle of a fight, Kanda die of blood-loss and him fighting dozens of Akumas while keeping an eye on the newbie Chaoji.

"And didn't you promise not to call me Yuu-chan for a while, redhead?"

Kanda's voice is threatening but Lavi isn't scared, he's... embarassed. And he flushes up a bit, felling naked.

_I thought Kanda would let it go, but he brings it up now! In front of Marie and Chaoji!_

From his spot Kanda can see Lavi flush and turn his eye away from him, and although his remark didn't hide any malicious hint he immediately understands that Lavi still thinks about what happened _after_ the promise. And he smiles. Lavi is handsome and cute at the same time, manly but innocent enough to make him look like a virgin. And Kanda, who thinks women are nothing but trouble and who doesn't necessarily need one to get relief for his physyological needs... he's interested.

_I want him._

* * *

**I found a photo that shows the dawn in the valley but the url is too complicated to be posted here. PM me if you are curious, I'll send the link :)  
**


End file.
